Let Me Take Care of You
by QueenChaotic
Summary: Lance is not handling his latest near-death experience too well. Both Lance and Keith just want a break from the pain and fear of being paladins. (Implied smut! Angsty fluff)


Lance McClain sat alone on the floor in the darkened Holodeck. He gazed blankly out of the window at the unfamiliar cosmos surrounding the flying space palace. Visions of the past mission were on replay in his memory.

 _The Voltron team was being overwhelmed by enemy forces. Their mission to infiltrate one of the important Galra bases had gone horribly wrong. The Paladins were fighting for their lives among a never ending stream of soldiers. Lance heard a distressed yell from Pidge, and looked over to see her getting back up from a particularly nasty blow. By the time the blue paladin looked back at his own fight the enemy had taken advantage of his distraction. He was shoved into a corridor offshoot from the main battle. The gigantic soldier threw a punch landing solidly on Lance's jaw, pushing the boy into the cold hard metal of the far wall, and sending his bayard skidding away to the end of the hall. The man then elbowed him in the throat, knocking him to the floor and taking away his breath. Lance was separated from his only help and beginning to lose the battle against the dangerous enemy. Seeing his inevitable victory, the Galra smiled sinisterly and leaned down closer to the boy. He put his laser gun against the paladins forehead and chuckled, thinking about the rewards he would claim for disposing of a member of Voltron. As his finger neared the trigger however, he was violently knocked away with a sword and swiftly taken care of. Lance looked up at his teammate, Keith, and small tears sprung to his eyes. He did his best to hold back the emotions from his near death experience. The red paladin grabbed the shivering boys hand and gently helped him up. He caressed Lance's cheek before running back off into the fray. The boy stood there greatful and confused, before burying his emotions and once again joining the fight._

Now that he was no longer in a life or death situation, Lance had time to think and process his emotions. He had never known the true fear that all of his favorite heros must have felt in situations like that. Up until the moment he was almost killed in cold blood, the boy had always wondered why those same heroes always wanted to go back to their old lives. He would do almost anything to be back home with his _Abuela,_ cooking food and watching her soap operas. Instead, he had to risk his life every _tick_ of the day to defend the universe from the Galra empire and it's plot to suck the life force out of everything.

The only sound in the large room was Lance's quiet, shuddering breaths. He decided it would be best to think on another topic, what was with Keith? The boy caressed his face mid-battle after saving his life. What did it mean? Did Keith _like_ the blue paladin? Lance certainly wouldn't be opposed to it. To be honest, Keith was very attractive. The only downside was how hard it seemed to get close to the boy. He just couldn't seem to break through his walls.

Lance put his head down in his hands and sighed. Everything was so much more complicated. He wanted to get away from it all, just for awhile. Video games and Kaltenecker duty weren't enough, but the Alteans didn't understand human needs. After all of the terrifying scenarios the team went through, they couldn't smile all the time like the princess. It was kind of scary how well she took to war.

As Lance thought through all the trials he'd been through, the one person who had been coming to his mind more and more often entered the room. Keith walked in silently to see the blue paladin looking very distraught. He strode over and sat next to the oblivious boy, placing a soft hand on his arm. Lance jumped at the contact, but relaxed when he saw the raven haired boy looking at him with concern.

"Lance, are you ok after…?" Keith was hesitant to stir up the emotions from earlier that day.

"I don't know. But I guess it doesn't matter. I have to be ok, the universe depends on me.

Keith gave him a sad look. That was a lot of weight for a teenage boy to carry. Being in his same position, Keith knew what it was like. The only way he couldn't relate is that Lance had a family on Earth depending on him, Keith didn't have anyone. That kind of loneliness was suffocating.

"It does matter. You aren't just a Paladin of Voltron, you're a person too. You have thoughts and feelings you're allowed to express."

"I know that, but I don't want to _express_ anything. I want it all to stop. Just for a little while." Keith could hear the pain in Lance's voice as he pulled at his own hair in frustration. The boy was so close to losing it. They sat there for some time with the same agonizing aches of depression. Soon, Keith had enough. Tired of feeling isolated, and desperate to take away Lance's pain, he reached forward and cupped the boys face.

"K-Keith?" He whispered the question.

"Shhh," The boy whispered back. "Just trust me."

Lance hesitated but a moment before nodding his consent. Keith leaned towards him and gently pressed their lips together. It started slow and a bit awkward, as neither boy had much experience. They soon found a steady, heated rhythm as the two grew more comfortable. A warm hand slipped under Lances shirt and he gasped, opening his mouth enough for Keith to slip his tongue in.

There was no battle for dominance, the boys just took comfort in the closeness of each other as their wet mouths moves together in harmony, tongues dancing and swirling. Lance's hands tangled and tugged in Keith's hair as pale hands roamed his chest.

Keith reluctantly pulled back, resting his forehead against Lance's.

"Let's go to my room. Let me take care of you tonight." He nodded his answer, fingers drifting along the other's face. They stood and took each others hands. They wandered their way to the red paladin's room. They had all the time in the universe to comfort each other.


End file.
